This newsletter is target to users that installed the Content Glass app for Shopify. In the next few weeks I am going to launch two new Content Glass Add-on apps on Shopify.Content Glass customers that wants to participate the beta program should let me know in advance so I can configure that when installing the Add-On billing procedure will be applied on "test" mode (i.e. no actual payment will be applied).

The purpose of the beta program is to allow me to provide better quality of the application and to help with spreading the word regarding add-on specifically and Content Glass generally. The program grant free use of the add-on application for 12 months starting on launch day.

Incoming new add-on apps:

1. Product Bundle - add-on that let you create "bundles" and notifications. A "bundle" is a special product created by the add-on that reflect bundle of multiple products. When user put in cart multiple products that match a bundle, a notification is presented suggesting the user to replace the collection of products with the single bundle that generally will offer better price or some other benefit. Notifications can be created to sense various situations in the system and encourage to user to add more products and/or adding all products that required to match with bundle.

2. Store Navigator - this add-on provide special widgets that shows either wind-rose or arrows. Clicking the arrows will cause page to scroll to next product page. Admin user can set the list for each direction and can also select from multiple algorithms: catalog, custom_collection, smart_collection, or list made by app. The main advantages of this website are: A) having the ability to control pattern of user when visiting a store. B) moving between pages is made by scrolling that provide the sense of continuity.

Following a feedback I may contact you by Email for getting more details.

There are no reports to fill, no contract to sign, simply let me know you are interested and I will set your store in a list that prevent from app to generate a billing.

In order to be able to test the billing procedure you will receive a test-billing notification. The billing email you will receive will state that this is a "test billing" and you are not going to be charged.

The program grant free use of the application for 12 months starting on launch day.

The program is targeted toward stores with installed Content Glass app, as well as registered stores with uninstalled CG app.

Participants will also get automatic participation for other add-ons that will be created in the future.

When launching the add-ons you will get a notification by mail. You can then go to the application listing page and install the add-on app. It is also possible to install the app via the Content Glass service portal page (CG prefereneces page), however the apps you may install are still in an initial prototype phase and updates are applied frequently.

Additional description

you can view the currently available add-on apps description in the next two links. Note that these pages was not yet exposed to public so you can't get them through the apps repository portal yet.

What is Content Glass Add-on?

Content Glass client API (software) for websites include applications-framework. This framework allows for applications declared by special manifest file to be loaded dynamically where Content Glass API is running. The Content Glass application you installed can host other applications. We call these type of applications add-on.

There are two classes of Add-on apps:

1. Custom Made Add-On - these are add-ones that was created specifically based on website need. We have two such examples on noniades.myshopify.com: A) "Poem Gift eCard" and add-on that let users create electronic cards that combine Poem, dedication and video message. B) Poem Editor - add-on that is part of website strategy of becoming marketplace for poets and provide the ability for users with special credentials to edit poems and create Poem Product on noniades store. These two add-ones was created based on specific requirements. In order to run these add-on apps we set special declarations on Preferences page of CG app. These deflation expose to CG API the manifest file so that add-on app can be loaded dynamically.

2. Public Add-On - these are add-on apps that can serve multiple stores. The add-ones are created for general cases and present general functionality that is not specific to single store. Public add-ones ares served as standalone Shopify apps so that store admin that would like to use them can do this. In addition once you install public CG add-on a record is created for you on Content Glass portal specific for this add-on. So that you can manage the add-on as separate unit, for example you can view the billing status for this add-on or enable/disable the add-on.

When store-admin install public add-on the install procedure first check to see if Content Glass app is installed. If it is not installed the installation procedure will shw two approval screens:

A. Approving the install of Content Glass app

B. Approving the installation of the Add-on app

When public add-on is installed a special record is created on www.contentglass.com that let you manage the add-on via the Content Glass Services portal (the page you see when clicking the preferences link of CG app).

Public add-ons may or may not require payment. Any billing for add-on app is managed as if it was a standalone Shopify app, and is managed via the Shopify billing procedure, using Shopify billing API. It means that users will see the payment for the add-on in the invoice rendered by Shopify.

In addition public add-on apps may and may not have Trial period. In the Trial period user use the app but billing is not applied. Still for the app to be activated the billing need to be approved. Until then application will be blocked.